Actor From ‘Maude,’ ‘Diff’rent Strokes’ Dies

A well-known sitcom actor who became a familiar face to TV viewers in the 1970s on "Maude" and "Diff’rent Strokes" has died. Conrad Bain, who played wealthy dad Phillip Drummond for eight seasons on the NBC sitcom “Diff’rent Strokes,” was 89, the Los Angeles Times reports.

The Alameda County, Calif., Coroner’s Office today confirmed that Bain died Monday at a hospital in Livermore, Calif.

“The cause of death has not been determined, and coroner’s officials said it’s not clear whether a doctor will sign the death certificate or whether there will be a formal review of his death,” the Times reports.

Bain’s daughter reported that her father had been ill for a while and had died of natural causes.

Before playing the adopted dad to kids played by Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges on “Diff’rent Strokes,” which aired from 1978 to 1985, Bain was a co-star on the long-running CBS series “Maude.”

In the late 1980s Bain was a regular on the short-lived series “Mr. President,” which starred George C. Scott. Bain also had a long series of guest appearances on shows including “Dark Shadows,” “The Defenders,” “The Facts of Life” and, most recently, “Unforgettable,” in 2011.